Healthy Homes Assessment Tomoana

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Tomoana rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

• Draught Stopping
• Heating
• Insulation
• Ventilation
• Moisture Ingress & Drainage

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done and provide a report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Tomoana rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be completed inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed lease is entered into on the Tomoana rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who own several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a home assessment done on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent the property in New Zealand and Tomoana, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the quality of Tomoana rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping within Tomoana rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Tomoana Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tomoana

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A damp house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a hole or gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit into the home require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the structure when the house heats and cools, in order to let them be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will check all windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important for well-being homes

Heating Tomoana

Tomoana rental properties need to have a stable heating source that is able to heat the largest or main living room to at least 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it requirements to be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it might just require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Tomoana

Every living space of the rental property should contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable and don’t require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside, but remain set in an opening position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Tomoana

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and also makes it easier to the household to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Tomoana Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently the things you don’t notice that could become a major issue and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the structure. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Tomoana

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Tomoana include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tomoana for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check in a house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties home assessment.